Vessa

The Kingdom of Vessa is a small nation located north of Cartois. Vessa shares borders with Cartois on the south, and the Free Republics of Calas in the west. Vessa remains one of the few nations in the Cartesian region which is entirely resistant to Cartesian influence, operating in a state of cold-war with the Empire of Cartois. Geographically Vessa is divided into three distinct regions: The Badlands in the west, the Savannah, and Canyons of the east, and the gently rolling Cartesian Hills to the south. The bulk of the nations population live within the Cartesian hills region, where the majority of the nations agriculture resides, though the technical capital of the nation, Alta Villa, lies along the Bay of Cartois, in the Savannah.

Vessa is officially governed by a King, though with recent events, and the present civil-war, the power and legitimacy of the monarchy has eroded to the point where much of the nation has been divided up between various 'Vice-Roys' or Governors of its provinces. These Vice-Roys pledge eternal loyalty to the King of Vessa, in return for reduced taxes, and increased autonomy. Such Vice-roys including Nazar Covarrubias, and Román Ros hold considerable power in the government and military of the nation, leading many to question whether or not the monarchy has fully devolved into an oligarchy.

Foundation and Growth
The original Vessonians came in the form of Athiian colonizers who first settled the regions around Roza, in the south of the country. Unlike the famous settlements in Odessa, and Athus, the Roza colony never truly took off, and remained rather minor. In the present day the ruins of the ancient Athiian settlement have now deteriorated beyond recognition, and have since been built over by the growing city of Roza.

Around the year OT 112 the first native tribes of the Vessonian region collected together to form a primitive state in the region of Estella. This state would eventually merge with outlying tribes, and expand northward to the Alta Villa valley, where the earliest known settlement was establish in OT 32. Around NT 12 this tribal federation absorbed the collapsing Athian Colony in Roza, which has suffered following the collapse of the Athiian Empire in Rotharia, and subsequent Decade of Introspection. With the acceptance of the remaining Athiian population into the populace, this proto-state officially took the name 'Vessa', taken from Arturo Vess the man who considered the nominal chief of the tribal state. Following this, Vess established a monarchy, with himself as King.

During the 'Early Monarchical Period', Vessa saw rapid expansion with Arturo, and his son Diego encouraging the population of the countrysides between Roza, Estella, and Alta Villa. In the year NT 223 Gold and Silver were discovered in the sparsely populated Badlands. Arturo Emilia II Vess, the present king declared that a massive detachment of the Vessonian military would be deployed to construct several permanent settlements in the region. These towns, named Cotarones, and Andavias would serve as centers of trade in the badlands, where the massive excavation of previous metals would take place. The following decades marked a period known in Vessa as 'The Golden Rot', during which the massive influx of gold and silver devalued massively the native currency, and led to the eventual collapse of the Vessonian economy.

The Golden Rot
The period of time between 225 and 278 NT is commonly refered to in Vessa as 'The Golden Rot', and is considered one the most important events in the history of the nation. Under the ill-stewardship of Arturo Emilia II Vess, the Kingdom of Vessa saw the rise of a massive inflationary crisis, and a period of unrest lasting for over 50 years. As massive amounts of gold and silver flooded into the national treasury from the Badlands, the value of the currency of Vessa decrease in value as the gold and silver in which it was minted became common place in the Kingdom, and as the practice of counterfeit became increasingly common.

The Golden Rot lasted through half the reign of Arturo Emilia who perished in NT 238, and the entirety of the reigns of Luciano Ruiz Vess (238-271), and Nicolás II Vess who was dethroned at the climax of the crisis. During the terminal years of the Arturo Emilia regime the economy of Vessa continued its slow decline into hyper-inflation, though through heavy handed policies of repression, and political censorship Arturo Emilia was able to leave the Kingdom in a marginally more stable position than he had found it. His third, and only surviving son Luciano Ruiz would assume his title as King upon his death in 238. Luciano was not the ruler his father was, and under his stewardship Vessa slipped fully into the crisis, seeing the value of its currency halve each year, until it became clear the government would no longer be able to honor its own debts.

In NT 271 Luciano died in an accident in the Royal Palace at Estella. Though at the time his death was widely believed to have been a true accident, and an omen against the Vess line, modern scholars now believe he was killed by one of his own generals. His son Nicolás II Vess inherited the throne, but would only go on to rule for 7 more years. In NT 276 the Kingdom of Valois (Now part of the Empire of Cartois) invaded Vessa, demanding compensation, and repayment for debts incurred by the Vessonian Government to the Kingdom of Valois. Nicolás II organized a desperate defense, meeting the Valoisian Army in the field outside of Roza for the now famous Battle of Roza. The Vessonian forces sustained substantial losses during the battle, and upon news of the monumental defeat reaching the capital in Estella, Nicolás II was captured by his own guard, and stripped of his title, only to face execution the following morning.

In his place the Treasurer of the Kingdom, a man by the name of Julian De Pan was granted the crown of Vessa on his promise to end the crisis. The newly appointed King De Pan was able to seize a few minor victories against the Valoisian force, and negotiate a ceasefire, on the condition that Vessa repay all of its debts, by contributing half of its Gold and Silver output to Valois for the following 30 years. Ultimately Julian De Pan would relocate the capital to Alta Villa, and forge the De Pan dynasty who have ruled Vessa ever since.

Present Day
In the present day Vessa has been struck by a wave of violence of discord. The cities of Andavias, Cotorones, Caraluz, and Cenicientos have broken off and formed a rebellion against the Vessonian government, demanding full autonomy, or independence from the monarchy. Meanwhile tensions with neighboring Cartois are at an all time high, and fear of a Cartesian intervention is growing in the minds of both the public and government. To make matters worse, the unrest caused by the present crisis has led to a rebirth and massive expansion of criminal elements in Vessa, who see a rare opportunity to profit from the instability of the nation.

Modern Vessa has seen the continued, but failing rule of the De Pan dynasty, with the present king Roberto De Pan tracing a direct lineage through history. Despite their glorious history, and widely beloved status in Vessa, the De Pan family has been slowly bleeding support for the past century, particularly after the disastrous triple coup. Roberto De Pan himself is generally views as competent, but not remarkable. He has been unable to make the necessary strides to elevate Vessa out of its present rut, and while he has managed to avoid deepening the crisis for now there has been little progress made towards ending the war or recovering Royal power.

In recent years a number of governors have seen their power increase substantially in response to the growing weakness of the De Pan monarchy, and several of these governors have even taken on the titles of "Vice-Roy" (Co-King). Two such individuals, Nazar Covarrubias, and Román Ros have gained nearly total control of the military of Vessa, in addition to control over two of its largest cities (Grandera, and Roza respectively). Concern about the growing power of the Vice-Roys has been growing in Alta-Villa for a few years now, though the government is currently too paralyzed by the war to make any major changes, for fear of risking a second civil-war and renewed crisis.

Civil-War
See also: Vessonian Civilwar

The Vessonian Civil-war is an ongoing conflict in the Kingdom of Vessa between the Loyalist Factions of Eastern and Southern Vessa (Primarily those lands under command of the Vessonian Military, or the De Pan dyansty), and the Rebel factions of the Vessonian Badlands, who form a loose coalition of states united against the De Pan Dynasty, the Vice-Royalty system.

The Initial grievances of the Rebel faction include abnormally high tax rates on Badlands exports, high tariffs on imports, and continued diversion of funds intended for the development of the badlands towards eastern cities such as Alta Villa, Grandera, and Rosa. In recent years the rebels have also stated a strong distrust for the growing power of the Viceroys of Vessa. The Rebels have established a foothold in the Badlands region, and hold numerous key passages from Roza and Andina, preventing Loyalist Forces from entering the badlands. The Rebel strategy in the war has been to ambush loyalist patrols, and launch raids into loyalist territory, looting and terrorizing the populace.

The Northern Loyalist Forces, under the control of Nazar Covarrubias have chosen a more direct approach, attempting to bait the loyalists out into the open, where their use of imported firearms of Solus provide them a significant advantage in the open badlands. Viceroy Nazar has earned the nicknames 'Amon', and 'The Devil of Andina' for his effectiveness, and brutality against the rebels. Meanwhile, the Southern Loyalist Forces, under the control of Román Ros have chosen a more passive approach, blockading imports from the south, and preventing any potential Cartesian aid to the rebels. In addition to this, Viceroy Román has chosen to fortify the vital passes near Roza, and the border with Cartois, in hopes of discouraging a potential Cartesian intervention in favor of the rebels.

Presently Cartois has no official stance of the conflict, though it is widely suspected they are providing funding for the rebels.

Economy
The economy of Vessa is simple, consisting primarily of artisanal products created in workshops and homes across the country. Most cities in Vessa feature at least one market in which goods are sold. Finished goods are typically transported between towns, and out of country by foreign merchants, or peddlers. A few notable exceptions are the highly developed Arms sector, and the resource exports of Southern and Western Vessa.

The Badlands region of Vessa primarily exports gold and silver, and some amounts of iron, which can be found in abundance in the mountains and foothills throughout the region. Little diversity exists in the local economy, and most communities live almost entirely on their metal exports. The Southern region around Roza provides the majority of the nations food, but is also known to export cotton and hemp to Solus and Cartois.

Government
Vessa is governed by a King, who is chosen from the oldest living son of the former monarch. The current King of Vessa is Roberto De Pan who succeeded his father Salvador De Pan. The De Pan dynasty has been ruling Vessa since it assumed power in NT 278 when the Vess Dynasty was dethroned upon the abdication, and execution of Nicolás II Vessa. The King of Vessa appoints a cabinet of ministers to assist in his governance of the state. This cabinet includes the Royal Treasurer, Chancellor, Scribe, and Court Magus.

The De Pan family governs Vessa from its Manor-Estate in Alta Villa, where it maintains a feeble, vacillating grip over its various territories. The power and legitimacy of the De Pan dynasty has taken a major blow with the ongoing civil-war still far from concluding, and neither side appearing to make gains. In addition to this the governors of Vessa numerous cities has slowly been amassing power, to the point where many have donned the title 'Vice-Roy', and act as petty kings in their own realms. There is growing concern in Alta Villa that these Vice-Roys may soon join the rebellion, create their own independent micro-state, or seek to dethrone the De Pan family just as the Vess were nearly 500 years ago.

Military
The Military of Vessa consists primarily of conscripts, though these forces are sometimes supplemented by Mercenaries if the situation calls for it. The average Vessonian soldier is poorly equipped, often without a weapon for the first two months of their service, after which they typically carry short swords, spears, pikes, or Firearms if they are experienced, or trained with their use.

The Vessonian Military is divided into 3 groups, The Grandera, Roza, and Royal Commands, with the 'Badlands Command' being included prior to the civil-war. Each of these Commands consist of around 20,000 soldiers, mostly infantry but with around 1,000 Cavalry in the Roza Command. These forces include units used as reserves, city garrisons, and military police. Each Command is typically directed by the General, with the Royal Command being directed by the King himself -- however both the Grandera and Roza Commands have been granted to the Viceroys of their respected cities, giving these two a monopoly of force, and thus unprecedented powers over their respective territories.

Vessa deploys limited Cavalry, with almost the entirety of those they do maintain located under the Roza Command, where they will find some use in the Cartesian Plains. Vessa maintains approximate 1,750 Firearms carrying infantry, with 500 in both the Grandera and Roza Commands, and an additional 750 in the Royal Command. Vessa is one of the Halasian states with the highest firearms integration into its military, beaten out in proportion by Solus, but in number only by Nara, whom follow Rotharian Military Doctrine.

Arts, Music, and Literature
The culture of Arts in Vessa is far more rudimentary compared to its more stable neighbors in Solus, Calas, and Cartois, but in the urban centers of Alta Villa, Roza, and Grandera the arts have flourished over the past century. Alta Villa in particular has seen itself become the beacon of culture in the nation, with a massive influx of painters, and musicians from the distant war torn reaches of the nation.

Music is common on the streets of Alta Villa, which is often referred to as the 'Orchestral City', and the playing of live music has become a permanently ingrained part of the local identity. It has been speculated that nearly a third of residents of Alta Villa can play at least one instrument, and it shows -- Alta Villa is the best city for music north of Cartois without question.

In addition to its music, Alta Villa, and several of its smaller satellite communities have become hot spots for foreign travelers and nobles, as the region features some of the best beaches, and most quaint sea side communities in all of Halas. Life in and around Alta Villa can almost seem peaceful, and isolating at times, completely betraying the truly chaotic state of the country.

Cuisine
Vessonian food is heavily spiced, as locals tends to favor hot peppers frequently grown around Estella as a method of enhancing flavors, and masking rancid food. The average Vessonian can handle a level of heat in their food that most Halasians could never stomach, perhaps even surpassing the Rotharian palate. Vessonian cuisine also tends to be heavier on meat than the average Halasian diet, as grazing animals such as sheep and goats are ideal for the unfertile plains and hillsides of the badlands, and canyons of eastern Vessa.

Vessonians import large amounts of wine from Cartois, where the soil is more suited for growing grapes, and beer from the Centran states who cultivate barley and hops. Verinian beer in particular has become a sensation in Vessonian bars and pubs. Vessa produces little native alcohol of its own, but has developed a decent export of goat cheese, and hot peppers.

Rasat
Vessa is the home of the Rasat culture, a nomadic group of people who originate from the Vessonian Badlands. Though the Rasat travel in caravans, and are distributed across the known world, the vast majority of Rasat reside in Vessa though they do not have stationary residences. The City of Rasat e ilea is the official home of the Rasat, and hosts a population of up to 60,000 during September (Making it technically the largest city in the Badlands during the month), though its regular population is only 5,000. Rasat e ilea is famous for being a city that moves, often picking up and relocating to another part of the badlands entirely. This is possible thanks primarily to the city consisting almost entirely of caravan wagons which can be unpacked and extended with multiple tents and cloth tarps, allowing an entire family to live in a single unpacked wagon, and further allowing it to be packed back into its original form, and relocated at a moments notice.

Religion
Religion is one of many issues adding to the growing tensions between the many regions of Vessa. The eastern Canyons and Savannah region primarily follow traditional Heranism, Estella being one of the historic seats of power for the Heranist church in the region. In recent years, however, the predominantly Heranist south has seen itself swept away in the rising Cartesian Hersey, just as Cartois itself has. The rise of the Cartesian Heresy has greatly destabilized the south, and has spawned the potential fear of future religious conflicts further damaging the already ailing Vessonian state.

Viceroy Román Ros has thus far been able to quell any potential upstart rebellions, however, and has for the moment at least earned the trust of the Vessonian nobility, in his assurances that he will be able keep the vital southern region safe for the time being. Meanwhile to the north, Vice-Roy Nazar has been able to fight back the encroaching Velian cult, with his Grandera Governate being one of the few regions in Halas to have entirely ejected the Knights-Errant, much to the chagrin of the Velisian Principality. In the Badlands, however, the Velisians have found far greater success, as their cult has begun slowly sowing its roots in the chaotic, desperate, and destitute badlands communities.